How I Prepare for a Wedding Day: Week, Night Before, and Morning

The Week Before: Research and Logistics

In the week before a wedding I'm due to photograph, I revisit all the planning documents exchanged with the couple: timeline, venue addresses, key contact numbers (venue coordinator, best man, maid of honour who will be first point of contact if changes happen on the day), family portrait list, and any specific requests or sensitivities noted during our post-booking conversations.

I research the venue if I haven't shot there before — looking at previous couples' image galleries from that venue to understand the light patterns at different times of day, identifying the key architectural and outdoor spaces, noting potential problem areas (narrow corridors, very dark chapels, ceremony spaces facing the wrong direction for morning light). Sometimes this involves a venue visit if the wedding is particularly large or complex.

Equipment Preparation

Two to three days before the wedding, I begin the physical equipment preparation:

• Both camera bodies fully charged, settings checked and confirmed
• All lenses cleaned, mounted, and tested at a few focal lengths
• Spare batteries tested and fully charged (I carry 3–4 per camera body)
• Memory cards formatted and fresh — enough capacity for 3,000+ images
• Flash units charged and tested
• Camera bag packed and checked against a prepared checklist

I use redundancy everywhere. Two bodies means that a camera failure mid-wedding produces a disruption, not a disaster. Multiple cards and batteries mean I'm never caught short. This level of preparation reflects the singular nature of wedding photography: unlike portrait sessions, a wedding cannot be reshot if equipment fails or critical moments are missed.

The Day Before

The evening before the wedding: I recheck the weather forecast for the venue location, adjust my equipment selections if significant weather changes are likely (heavier rain gear; if very hot, arranging for portable shade options for family portraits). I confirm my departure time, route, and parking with the venue. I prepare to eat well and sleep early — wedding photography is a 10–12 hour day of physical and cognitive effort and starting it fatigued is unprofessional.

Wedding Morning

I arrive at the first location (usually the bridal preparation venue) around 60–90 minutes before the ceremony begins, giving time to photograph getting-ready preparations, room and dress details, and the quiet moments before the day's main events. Everything from this point is instinctive — years of practice and preparation mean the shooting itself flows without conscious equipment checking, freeing 100% of my attention and creative energy for the couple and their day.